Vizcaya was a page out of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby on Saturday night for the glitzy and glamorous, Lingerie Miami, the only such showcase of lingerie in the United States. Aglow in pink lighting, the palace was reminiscent of Versailles, its beauty rivaled only by the gorgeous crowd of 500, who braved the uncharacteristically chilly weather, forking out $1,000.00 a head to support the 7Bar Foundation, a charity aimed at helping impoverished women around the globe. The event, hosted by actress Eva Longoria Parker and co-hosted by supermodel Veronica Webb, former Apprentice, Sean Yazbeck and spiritual leader and author, Deepak Chopra, (strange bedfellows indeed), was nothing short of spectacular, right down to the gold-gilded goblets, Swarovski-encrusted Moet & Chandon bottles and the raciest, sexiest lingerie this side of a Paris bordello. European lingerie designers, Fifi Chachnil, Carine Gilson and Agent Provocateur produced unique, sensual fashion shows, proving that lingerie is couture.
Fifi Chachnil’s show featured sultry Greta Garbo-inspired models strutting down the runway in stilettos, with pouty red lips and a single feather in their hair, clad in little more than a spotlight, to the tempo of songs such as “You Give Me Fever.” Fever indeed- it was so good for former basketball player Rony Seikaly that he was smoking a cigarette before it was even over. We’re not sure if the girls had the same effect on Seikaly’s ex-wife, Mexican model Elsa Benitez, who was also in the audience.
The sirens enticed male guests by winking, pointing and blowing kisses. Ooh, la, la!
During the sumptuous dinner, Deepak Chopra gave a somber speech that had several people reaching for the crystallized magnum of Moet. One guest commented, “He put the ‘deep’ in Deepak.” Everyone’s, ahem, moods were uplifted once the Agent Provocateur show began, starring goddesses in skimpy, cliché fantasy getups, (head nurse, French maid, happy widow, grocery shopper- we didn’t get that one either) sporting exaggerated props, including a machete, bottle of bleach, giant syringe, ball and chain, Yorkie, and yes, a grocery cart. The accompanying 007 soundtrack and searchlights just added to the excitement. According to Agent Provocateur founder, Joe Corre, “A girl that comes out in lingerie and is able to walk the walk will make a man do anything. It’s like a superhero costume for women.” Move over, Victoria’s Secret!
Ironically, Eva Longoria Parker, whose slutty, pubescent-gardener-seducing character, Gabrielle Solis, on Desperate Housewives, has rarely been seen in anything but her undergarments, kept her stunning, coral strapless dress ON- to the dismay of many an onlooker. This may have been due, at least in part, to the cold weather. Rumor has it that Longoria Parker actually requested a space heater. Apparently, Ēva (don’t call her “Ĕva”) is a bit of a Diva. To her credit, Longoria Parker was a charming hostess and raised the largest dollar amount ($35,000) during the live auction, for a lunch date, kiss and private tour of the Desperate Housewives set. Perhaps Obama should consult the actress for some creative bailout suggestions.
A-list guests supporting microfiber for microfinance (we couldn’t resist) included founder and organizer, Renata Mutis Black, Eva Longoria Parker, Veronica Webb, Deepak Chopra, Sean Yazbeck, Joe Corre, Fifi Chachnil, Carine Gilson, Ines Rivero, Joanna Krupa, Elsa Benitez, Fabiola Beracasa, Leticia Grendene, Tracy Mourning, Ingrid Casares, Maggio and Ignazio Cipriani, Barbara Becker, Uli Herzner, Eva Da Cruz, Claudia Aros, Rony Seikaly, Wayne Boich, Maria Bello, Juan Carlos Arcila-Duque, Susanne Birbragher, Tina Carlo, Sara Lacharlotte, Amir Ben-Zion, Marita Stavrou, Christina Getty Maercks, Hernan Arriaga, Tico and Alexandra Torres, Michelle Pooch, Eric and Stacy Milon, Amanda and Mark Tamis, Merle and Danny Weiss, Louis Aguirre, Michael Capponi and Shareef Malnik.
