Plenty of skirt chasing goes on in Los Angeles, but last Thursday night brought a new twist to things. Peggy Moffit, Courtney Love, and Dita Von Teese were among the eclectic guests gathered at Prada's Beverly Hills epicenter for a private opening of the traveling exhibit, "Waist Down—Skirts by Miuccia Prada." More than 100 skirts from the designer's first women's collection in 1988 up to today were on display throughout the three-story space: on the hill of staircases, in the ground-floor dome, affixed to glass walls, and even twirling midair thanks to creative mechanics.

Around 800 revelers—including a tabloid dream team of Paris Hilton, Mary-Kate Olsen, Lindsay Lohan, and Nicole Richie—munched at a shrimp bar, sipped Veuve, and moved to seventies-era funk and disco. "You look amazing!" exclaimed Eva Mendes upon reuniting with her Hitch co-star, Amber Valletta, whose gold short shorts matched her very blonde locks. "I've never been this bare in public," replied the supermodel. While Heather Graham, Molly Sims, and Nicky Hilton all chose red frocks, it was a certain burlesque star, sporting black-and-white polka dots, who turned the most heads. "I've exhibited some of my costumes before," said Von Teese, eyeing one of the skirts. "The trouble is getting mannequins with a small enough waist for my corsets."

— Victoria Namkung