Calvin Klein at LAND

by Franklin Melendez

The slim and sleek turned out in hordes for Calvin Klein's first full-blown event in Tinseltown, a mash-up of art and fashion in collaboration with LAND, the non-profit organization specializing in public art projects. That was pretty much the only public aspect of the private VIP event, held at a new project space on Melrose. The setting for multi-level extravaganza was an installation by Jean Shin, featuring fabric panels provided by Calvin Klein. The effect was conceptual austerity merged with festive Mexican paper decorations (it seems everyone has Cha Cha on the brain after Gaultier’s couture fiesta).

Guest included a sea of stars and starlets in symphonic shades of nude and greige, including a demure Penelope Cruz, Kate Bosworth, Milla Jovovich, Ryan Phillippe, Coco Rocha and a particularly windblown Jared Leto, who looked like he just stepped off from burning rubber on his chopper. The mezzanine level was outfitted as an impromptu gallery, featuring a selection of videos curated by Neville Wakefield, who strolled about looking artfully disheveled. While most guests seemed eager to head to the roof after an obligatory round, Lorenzo Martone earned some serious art points, diligently making a few laps, all the while concentrating on the program notes.

Coinciding with the launch of LA Art Fair, the event swarmed with arty types huddling, inexplicably, around Bijoux Phillips and Honor Fraser. Holding court in his own section was Terence Koh, in town not for the fair but for Grammy madness. It seems the Lady of Gaga has developed a taste for artist-designed pianos (this isn’t helping the Liberace comparisons, btw) and Terence will be providing the latest model for a special performance on Sunday night. As usual, he only offered cryptic riddles instead of hints, so you will have to tune in.