November '08 Entertainment—Pete Allman Column

Where the worlds of fashion and fabulous female celebrities meet is where you will find designer Catherine Malandrino and some of the most beautiful ladies in the entertainment field.

Recently, top celebs came together for the grand opening of the Catherine Malandrino Maison and to honor her 10th anniversary.

Mary J Blige hosted the event, and many of Hollywood’s leading ladies and other notable women were red-carpet worthy in Catherine Malandrino fashions. The designer looked elegant in a gown with multi-chain detail from the Malandrino Spring 2009 Collection.

Host Mary J Blige, a Grammy award-winning singer and song writer, was splendid in a dress with cascading silver paillettes from the Malandrino Holiday/Resort 2009

Collection. She said she met Malandrino quite some time ago and they just hit it off have been friends ever since. Blige says she loves this designer’s fashions because of how well they fit her physique and style preferences.

The French-born Malandrino continues to expand her fashion retail presence with the newly opened Catherine Malandrino Maison, a lifestyles boutique located at 651-653 North La Cienega at Melrose Place in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles.

She offers two lines of clothing and a wide range of price points: her high-end runway Malandrino line and her contemporary Catherine Malandrino line. Her appealing designs and custom fashions are available through fine clothing stores, including Saks Fifth Avenue, as well as on the developing online store at www.catherinemalandrino.com. The contemporary line is moderately priced for the stylish career or casual dresser.

Malandrino and her partner, husband, Bernard Aidan, met about ten years ago and joined forces to re-launch the Diane Von Furstenberg collection in New York among their early accomplishments. The corporate offices are still based in New York, but there are locations elsewhere in the U.S. and Europe as well.

In Southern Nevada, there is a store in the Shoppes of the Palazzo Resort Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.

All of the other elegant women at the celebration looked fabulous attired in their designer selections. The following is a list of the attendees and their style choices.

Perry Reeves, from HBO’s hit “Entourage,” looked fashionable in a cap sleeve turtleneck shirt with front ruffle detail from the Catherine Malandrino Holiday/Resort 2009 Collection.

Garcelle Beauvais, a brightly talented and gorgeous actress, selected a silk, crinkle chiffon long dress with embroidered and beaded neckline from the Catherine Malandrino Holiday/Resort 2009 Collection.

Sanaa Lathan, from the recently released “The Family That Preys” and other critically acclaimed productions, showed off her curves in a silk, stretch, swing dress with smocking detail from the Catherine Malandrino Fall/Winter 2008 Collection.

Keisha Whitaker, skillful and fast-rising fashion star, looked chic in a black and emerald, silk, asymmetrical draped jersey dress with jade strap detail from the Malandrino Fall/Winter 2008 Collection.

Maria Menounos, actress and dazzling TV correspondent wore a pearl, silk, pleated halter dress from the Malandrino Spring/Summer 2008 Collection.

Rosario Dawson, from “Sin City 2,” looked striking in a high-neck, sleeveless dress with a cinched waist from the Malandrino Fall/Winter 2008 Collection.

The “Gossip Girl” beauty, Michelle Trachtenberg, looked rocker chic in a silver sleeveless dress with chain link detail from the Malandrino Holiday/Resort 2009 Collection.

Burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese looked stunning in a nude dress with pleat detail from the Malandrino Fall/Winter 2008 Collection.

Lily Collins, TV personality and socialite, looked beautiful in a wide-band, crinkle chiffon shirt dress from the Catherine Malandrino Fall/Winter 2008 Collection.

Other guests in attendance wearing Catherine Malandrino fashions included Lady Victoria Hervey, socialite Jennifer Flavin Stone, model Anna Rawson, actress Sasha Alexander, along with actress Melissa George.

Among the male stars present were Billy Zane, and Smashbox founding co-owner, David Factor.

Mary J Blige, Singer/Song Writer

The award winning singer hosted the event in a dress with cascading

silver paillettes from the Malandrino Holiday/Resort 2009 collection.

Dita Von Teese, Burlesque Dancer