Despite the dreary weather and what was originally supposed to be an outdoor venue, celebrities, stylists and fashion supporters flocked to the Chateau Marmont on Tuesday afternoon to celebrate the 2010 finalists of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund.

The finalists, who this year include Joseph Altuzarra of Altuzarra, Robert Geller, Pamela Love, Prabal Gurung, Billy Reid, Christian Cota, Moss Lipow, Oliver Helden and Paul Marlow of Loden Dager, Gregory Parkinson and Eddie Borgo, presented several looks from their spring/summer 2011 collections to the crowd who had been stealthily relocated from the garden of the hotel to the inside lounge. Event hosts Frederic Fekkai and Vogue’s West Coast senior editor Lisa Love sat front row among celebrities such as Eva Mendes, Marisa Tomei, Emily Mortimer and Molly Sims, most of whom are no strangers to a fashion show, yet all showed enthusiastic support for the designers’ collections (Mendes even wore one of Cota’s designs to the event).

Models glided down the living room-like setting of the hotel’s lounge in spring styles so fresh one forgot the overcast skies for a moment. The hair (done by Fekkai and Renato Campora) added a Southern California-esque feel, pulled back into tousled low ponytails, adding an easy, casual vibe to the runway looks. But it was another aspect of Southern California that had the crowd smiling and cheering -– L.A based designer Parkinson, whose effective use of mixing colorful textiles and flowy bohemian silhouettes have long been a hometown favorite as well as a hit with the global fashion community.

His applause was noticeably more thunderous than the other finalists, and the designer humbly thanked his L.A based friends/fan club for the generous support. “In a few years, I will have lived in L.A for as long as I lived in England. This really is my adoptive home,” Parkinson said. “The people here today have been a part of my life for many years and this is incredibly emotional. And nobody, nobody could ask for a better cheer!”

Several other L.A. based designers were present at the event. Jasmine Shokrian and former CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist Juan Carlos Obando were in attendance and confessed their adoration of Eddie Borgo’s intense and rather large accessories. “His jewelry has a kick to it!” Obando said. “And jewelry should be decadent. Wearing Eddie’s jewelry is like you’re wearing precious toys … shiny, pointy, dangerous toys. What else could a girl want?”

-- Melissa Magsaysay

Photo: Marisa Tomei, left, Frederic Fekkai and Eva Mendes watch the L.A fashion show of this year’s CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists at the Chateau Marmont. Credit: WireImage

The season in New York was largely about wearable sportswear. But there were a few notable exceptions.

I continue to be impressed by Victoria Beckham's dress collection, which is always so elegantly restrained and perfectly polished. (There is something to be said for zeroing in on one thing and doing it to the fullest.)

For several seasons now, much of what she has designed has been body-skimming, if not downright body-hugging. But Beckham loosened things up for spring, even using her own body to perfect the drape of a violet-colored parachute silk dress with a knotted detail.

As a red carpet regular, naturally Beckham has a flair for the dramatic. And indeed, a watery purple stripe jacquard bell-shaped dress would make quite an entrance, especially worn with a pair of cat-eye sunglasses from Beckham's eyewear collection.

But there was nothing too glitzy or obvious here. A stiff white "pigment print" organdy dress with a flared skirt was wonderfully simple. "The print was inspired by light sculpture," Beckham explained. "And we worked hard at maintaining the feather weight."

Not that everything was easy, breezy. A "Cadillac pink" shift dress that hit below the knee, with an asymmetrical neckline and exposed back zipper, was divinely fitted, sucking everything in with an interior corset.

She also used the runway to introduce her new line of handbags, including the covetable "Victoria," a boxy style with flaps that fold over each other at the top. It will be interesting to see if she gives up her Birkins for Beckhams.

Victoria Beckham spring - summer 2011 runway collection photo gallery

L'Wren Scott also went in a new direction, trading her inner rock chick for a free-spirited romantic.

Inspired by a trip to the Serengeti, she began with a strong case for barely-there dressing. White trousers and a sheer coat with the ease of sleepwear; a sheer gold-dot pajama-top-turned-jacket with the lace hem of a slipdress peeking out; and creamy white silk pajama pants worn with a gold embroidered kimono jacket were all perfect for a romp in the safari tent.

But quickly, almost too quickly, her heroine had returned to the city -- in a 1930s-looking peach dress with an asymmetrical scalloped hem, and a body-skimming peach pencil skirt, embroidered green velvet cutaway jacket and saffron blouse. (An unexpected color combo that was terrific.)

As day moved into night, the clothes took an even more ornamental turn, including a slinky gold satin dress with red embroidery down the sides, a degrade sequin sheath in sunset colors and a firecracker red embroidered floor length gown.

In the end, what started out as a beautiful story was hard to follow. A lot of lovely pieces, yes, but as a collection, they needed more to stitch them together.

L'Wren Scott spring-summer runway collection photo gallery

Los Angeles-based Juan Carlos Obando turned up the heat on his business,  showing a collection of  evening wear that was elegant, but with a sexy edge.

He channeled a recent experience seeing the documentary "Hubble" at L.A.'s California Science Center, into the hand-dyed textiles for which he is known, creating nebulous patterns in colors of the deep, dark universe.

At times, Obando has suffered from tunnel vision. But this was a well-rounded collection, including slim sheaths, flirty fit-and-flare dresses, floor-sweeping gowns, sleek pants and fitted peplum jackets.

And there were details aplenty, from fraying cutouts edged in black Swarovski crystals, to contouring laces and exposed zippers.

Los Angeles shoe designer George Esquivel added to the fine show, creating uneven stacked heels that brought to mind the building blocks of the universe.

-- Booth Moore

JC Obando spring-summer 2011 runway collection photo gallery

Top photo: A dress from the Victoria Beckham spring-summer 2011 runway collection shown during New York Fashion Week. Credit: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images.

Middle photos: Looks from the L'Wren Scott spring-summer 2011 runway collectioni show during New York Fashion Week. Credit: Courtesy of L'Wren Scott.

Bottom photo: A look from the Juan Carlos Obando spring - summer 2011 line. Credit: Jonas Gustavsson & Peter Stigter / For The Times

L.A.-based designer Juan Carlos Obando took the idea of razor-sharp tailoring and beat us over the head with it.

Working in a drab palette of sand, gray and black, he showed super skinny worsted wool trousers that were totally spare aside from spiraling seams, and sleeveless belted shift dresses pared down except for a few curve enhancing stitches.

Although he should be applauded for his rigorous technique, this collection needed some eye candy beyond shoe designer George Esquivel's laced boot extensions.

It didn't help that it was all a build-up to a finale of gowns with micro plisse bodices, something we've seen from him many times before.

--Booth Moore in New York

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Photos: Juan Carlos Obando's fall 2010 show in New York. Credit: Peter Stigter and Jonas Gustavsson / For The Times