When dollar is failing us, our dresses shouldn’t. This fall the women have no phobia of sparkle and glitz. And when you invest in few great party dresses at least one of them should radiate.

Left to right: Rihanna in the Blonds at Fashion Rocks on September 9th, a look from Alexander McQueen SS’09 show, Jennifer Lopez in Dolce & Gabbana on September 25th, Daphne Guinness on October 21st, Joely Richardson in Julien Macdonald on September 15th.

© Patrick McMullan

“I’ve purchased this necklace and earrings,” proudly exclaimed Julie Macklowe as she showed off her Boucheron accessories. “Now, I have to sell one of my kidneys to pay them off.” The hostess was on full duty last night at the luxury jeweler’s suite at Plaza Athénée Salon Privé. And while waiters served everything from lobster to elaborate cheese plates, Bottega Veneta clad Macklowe and Dale Brown  (President of Boucheron USA)  were busy showing off some of the most extravagant baubles to intimate group of guests. The suite will be open by appointment only through December. The small gathering wasn’t the only highlight of busy businesswoman’s night. She had a date with her husband at La Goulue.

It’s a harsh world out there, as you know all too well. Beauty Junkie knows what this weather (combined with harsh detergents in many soaps and body washes) do to your skin. Here’s your solution for this chilly Thursday: WEN Lavender Body Cleansing Cream. This treat is the latest creation of celebrity hair stylist Chaz Dean whose products are also famous for their non-damaging ingredients—Charlize, Drew, and Halle are big fans. The cleanser is latherless and filled with marine extracts and botanicals that hold moisture in. All good things, n’est pas?
THE DETAILS: $32, www.chazdean.com

J. David McKenney is one of Chic Report’s favorite artists (ever!) thanks to his flawlessly cute illustrations that have turned up in a slew of publications. But now he’s entertaining the fashion community even more with his Dolls site. Sure, we still love those Star Dolls, but McKenney’s online versions are equally fashionable. Pick between four lovely ladies from different decades–from the ’50s to the ’80s–and let the fun begin. Now we just wonder how we can get a hold of his wall art…

There were two varieties of swag at James Jeans‘ launch of their eco-friendly capsule collection last night: Custom blues, bien sur, and plenty of organic Prairie vodka as well as loads of Coca-Cola, which looked extra lovely thanks to those new aluminum bottles. The event–hosted by Entourage’s Emmanuelle Chiriqui–encouraged attendees to partake in both. As Fabiola Beracasa spent plenty of time selecting her favorite wash, style and stitching technique, others like Tallulah Harlech jammed while checking out the other wares at the James Jeans lounge on Greenwich Street. Naturally, the brand made a donation to the Environmental Media Association in honor of Chiriqui. Around 9:00 p.m., VIP guests decamped to dinner and/or other events in Mercedes-Benz BLUETEC vehicles–carrying eco-friendly totes filled with freebies, bien sur!

As the downpour continues on this oh-so dreary day in New York, Beauty Junkie decided to ride out the storm with a pleasantly fragrant twist. We love a woodsy androgynous scent any day and thanks to Kiehl’s Since 1851, we’ve found our latest obsession—Forest Rain. There’s a touch of wet grass smell that dries down to a cedarwood/vetiver/musk mix. It’s perfect for snuggling up by the fire on the cold days to come.
THE DETAILS: Eau de Toillette, $38.50 at kiehls.com

© George Pimentel (left)

Chic Report caught up with Liz Cabral, fashion director of Canada’s Flare Magazine, at L’Oreal Fashion Week in Toronto.

How long have you worked at Flare?
I’ve been at Flare for four years, before that I was at another Canadian magazine, Chatelaine. I’ve been in the Canadian fashion industry for almost ten years now.

What have your highlights been thus far?
Andy The-Ahn put on a really great show. Joeffer Caoc was great. He’s an industry veteran and it’s nice to see him maturing. It’s really great also to see the girls who are international superstars like Taryn David and Lisa Cant come back onto Toronto catwalks.

What distinguishes Canadian fashion from fashion in New York, Paris, and Milan?
I think Canadian design is really unique. It’s an incubator for really great talent like Todd Lynn, Erdem, and Jeremy Laing, who have all come and grown from here.

Are there rivalries between Canada’s fashion magazines? Any Vogue/Elle like battles?
No, as you probably have witnessed, Canadians are very friendly. That’s sort of the rap we get all over the world. We’re such a small community that it’s not uncommon for us all to be sitting at the same dinner table.

Editor’s note: Flare and Elle Canada were seated on opposite sides of the runway.

He may only be 22 years-old, but Edward Bess has a beauty cult-following fitting for someone twice his age. His Lip Wardrobe and Private Eye collections were insta-sensations among those in-the-know and this month he launches Midnight Sun: a powder bronzer, cream highlighter, and luxe brush combo. Almost more enticing than the perfect formulations is the black hand-crafted (and suede lined!) box. THE DETAILS: $175 at Bergdorf Goodman

At the Comme des Garcons for H&M launch on Thursday night, guests dished to Chic Report about their dream H&M collaboratrixes:

Becki Newton: “What about Marc Jacobs for H&M? That’d be amazing.”

Jessica Szohr: “I’m a really big fan of Zac Posen, so I think that would be cool.”

Selena Gomez: “BCBG! I love that line, and I think they would make some killer daily-wear pieces.”

Richie Rich: “I’ll probably beg them to do it! I will turn it out!”

© George Pimentel

Denis Gagnon held the vaulted final show at L’Oreal Fashion Week and closed the week with a hard-edged bang–bangles, that is. The Canadian fashion darling experimented with weaving and complicated draping (at times, too much so). The collection of strong separates and dresses, however, is perfect for a girl craving Gothic glamor.