Fab Time at French Pharmacie Last Night

French Pharmacie hosted yet another terrific party last night, this time to welcome designer Be Inthavong of Be&D handbags and now...shoes, too! Yes, Be&D - known for exquisite bags with an edge (but not so trendy that you'll be sick of them in a year) - has branched out into shoes. And they are lovely.

My favorite is the Chamberlain - a very cool lace up spectator that comes in both blush and a lovely light beige with black. I'm a sucker for a spectator, but this one is most certainly not your mother's spectator. Cool, yet just classic enough to work at work. I love them!

And it was wonderful to meet Be - he's very charming, and a true craftsman. My favorite bag on display was a new take on their classic hobo, which I believe has been in the line since the beginning. But the body of this one was woven leather - very tiny strips, thinner than a Bottega bag. I've always held the Bottega woven bags up as the pinnacle of beautiful workmanship, but I have to tell you that this Be&D bag beats all.

Another highlight of the party was my first glimpse at the new spa that Stacy has opened above the store. They very generously were offering free laser peels and polish changes, so of course I partook. I can't wait to see what my new face looks like once I emerge from my old skin like a snake! Sounds horrible, I know, but that's the price of beauty.

Early Warning - Gap/Phillip Lim White Shirts Coming Soon!

So, I'm really liking the "Gap Design Editions" idea. Yes, it's a complete imitation of Target's Go Designers program, but whatever. The results are good, in my opinion.

And they're doing it right. They've taken it so far as to have opened a special Design Editions boutique next to the big Gap on Fifth Avenue in New York. When I walked by on Friday, it was full of the Gap/Pierre Hardy shoe collection.

Mark your calendars for next Tuesday, April 15. Yes, it's also tax day, but that's immaterial. What's most important about that date is that the newest collection of designers' interpretations of the white shirt will be arriving at the Gap. You might recall last year's, which I thought was stellar - Thakoon, Rodarte and others interpreted the white shirt in some fabulous ways. My favorite was probably the 50s-ish white shirt dress - it cost under $100, and every time I wore it I got major compliments. You can bet it's coming right out as soon as the weather warms enough for a sleeveless white shirt dress.

This year's collection promises to be equally exciting - if not even more so. One of my most favorite designers, Phillip Lim, has designed some of the styles. And, this year's collection goes beyond white shirts to include white jewelry designed by Philip Crangi. I've not seen too many of the styles, but the big white bangles with the gold studs look cool.

You can bet I'll be at Keystone at the Crossing next Tuesday to check out the line!