Class Acts

The crowd at Barneys lined up to have the tea leaves read. Derek Blasberg, natty in Burberry, was furiously signing copies of his new book Classy and making extemporaneous assessments. The question on the table: Are you a lady or a tramp?

"Tramp!" he barked at Calvin Klein Collection creative director Francisco Costa, who, far from looking offended, giggled appreciatively. An oversized button—"I've Read Classy and I'm a Tramp"—was administered. Judging from the lapels of the throng that crowded the store's second floor, it was the trampiest event in town. Hostesses Lauren Santo Domingo (in printed Vionnet, which she'd worn with its black apron on the inside, more to her liking), Chloë Sevigny (in Proenza Schouler, flanked by Jack and Lazaro), and Dasha Zhukova seemed to be the only ones beyond suspicion. The author himself, however, did get the classy seal of approval from Paper magazine's Mickey Boardman, who's known him for years. "I don't think I've ever seen Derek do anything trashy," Boardman said. At least, "he's always so excited and happy to be where he is, it doesn't seem trashy when he does it."

At the celebratory dinner that followed chez Santo Domingo—decorated sustainably for the evening with gorgeous arrangements of succulents and handblown glass terraria by artist Paula Hayes on loan from the Marianne Boesky Gallery—the hostesses were joined by Chris Benz, Rachel Roy, Pat McGrath, and even Mom and Pop Blasberg, in from St. Louis for the occasion. Stylist Edward Enninful passed around a newly rediscovered portrait of the artist as a young(er) man from when they'd met years before—DB at 18 on the London club scene, impressive entourage already in formation. The banquet table last night seemed a long, Classy way from the clubs. But, then again, the night was still young.