Sunday's Swarovski dinner on the eve of the CFDA Awards is about American fashion. This year, however, a French name dominated conversation as news of Yves Saint Laurent's death spread through the crowd. "I got the call from Paris this morning," said Diane von Furstenberg. "It's very sad." Still, this particular evening is a celebration, and the summer night encouraged a festive mood among Ashley Olsen, Cynthia Nixon, honoree Dries Van Noten, and nominees Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, Michael Kors, and Francisco Costa. Some had complimentary words for each other before the big night. "I loved your last collection," said McCollough, passing Costa on the stairs. In a stage whisper, he jokingly added, "He's my competition." Planning to leave early Tuesday, Van Noten cited his impending menswear show as the reason for his short visit. "Fashion is hard work," he said. "It's not just accepting awards and going to parties." True—though maybe not for the next day and a half.

—Meenal Mistry

images 1 - 18 of 18| page 1