Fashion Wire Daily March 17, 2005 - LOS ANGELES - Hosted by Cindy Crawford, Tuesday night's "Rock the Runway" meant well but was less than rocking as a benefit for the City of Hope and the official kick-off party to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Los Angeles.
Fashion devotees in velvet blazers and spiked heels mixed with celebrities packed into the sprawling furniture show room of H.D. Buttercup in Culver City. Looking gorgeous in a spangled white top and slim jeans, Crawford schmoozed with IMG Vice President Fern Mallis, colorful in a flowing Eastern inspired tunic.
"I think fashion week reflects the lifestyle out here, which is more casual," said Crawford early on to television reporters. "L.A. fashion is finally not like a West Coast stepsister. It's now its own thing."
But later on, the supermodel herself spoke on stage in less casual terms, delving into the importance of the City of Hope, a leading medical research and treatment center. While the audience buzzed and chatted loudly in front of her, she revealed that her own brother died of leukemia when he was 4-years-old.
"Thank you for coming out tonight, even for people who talked during my speech," she said, obviously exasperated.
The evening slipped into less rocking territory from there.
As popular spoken-word poet Sekou the Misfit ranted passionately about topics ranging from love to the pressures of male beauty, the increasingly drunken crowd looked by turns curious, inspired and bored.
Dressed in a t-shirt depicting the face of famous political activist Angela Davis, the poet seemed more in line with a slam competition than a fashion week kick-off bash.
"I don't care much for him," said "Desperate Housewives" heartthrob Jesse Metcalfe, wearing a hip black leather jacket and surrounded by a coterie of male friends. Of fashion savvy hostess Cindy Crawford, the 26-year-old said, "She still looks hot. She's aging well."
Following Sekou, special guest performer the Yeah Yeah Yeahs also defied expectations and audience hype, to disappointing effect.
Known for punk rock dynamism and the high theatrics of its normally day-glo clad front woman Karen O, the band appeared on stage dressed all in black, minus their drummer, and only performed a two-song acoustic set fraught by tech problems.
"We're going to sing some love songs, and then we'll be out of your hair," deadpanned O, dedicating the group's sweetly slow crossover hit "Maps" to "anyone in love," and then an almost unrecognizable cover of Bjorks "Hyper Ballad" to "Spike," or Spike Jonze, her filmmaker boyfriend. Standing with "Jackass" star Johnny Knoxville and smiling actress Heather Graham, Jonze blended undetectably into the crowd.
Yet as quickly as it started, the band's set ended, the room emptied out, and only the night's signature drink — X-Rated bright pink liqueur with Sprite — seemed to "Rock the Runway" with a dash of flavor.
