The man who wasn't there

On Thursday afternoon my daughter Jordana got the call: she was to meet British designer John Galliano at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. As you might imagine, much excitement and nervous energy on top of preparing for a departmental critique; as well as finishing touches for the Savannah College of Art & Design fashion shows in which her collection would be shown; shopping for a chic dress to wear and preparing questions for Galliano.

Alas, Galliano, the much-admired House of Dior designer, didn't turn up Saturday to receive a lifetime achievement award or to meet any talented design students. Apparently he was taken ill in his hotel in New York. Although disappointed by his absence, the students produced two excellent shows at the SCAD Theatre on Broughton Street. Their designs were cutting-edge fashion; the music energising and the models well-trained for the fashion runway by "Miss J" or Jay Alexander, perhaps best known for his role in the Tyra Banks-produced television series America's Next Top Model.

Vogue editor-at-large André Leon Talley - dramatically dressed in a floor-length red satin robe and silver crown accented with red "rubies" addressed the students and lauded Galliano's talents. In Galliano's absence, his assistant accepted the André Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement Award.

Talley later pronounced Jordana's black cashmere coat for New York designers Ruffian "just gorgeous." The coat was recently featured in South magazine. Teen Vogue and another major fashion publication photographed some students' designs, including Jordana's. Her collection closed out the fashion shows Saturday afternoon and the main one later that night in Savannah. As one would expect of a proud mom, I took many photos, which I will post soon.

André Leon Talley will address SCAD's 2008 graduating class at commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 31. In addition to his work at Vogue, Talley is a member of SCAD’s Board of Trustees. In May 2000, SCAD honored Talley with a Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was renamed the André Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement Award and has been presented to other fashion icons including Oscar de la Renta, Karl Lagerfeld, Miuccia Prada, Tom Ford, Vera Wang, Marc Jacobs and now John Galliano.

Be still my heart

On Sunday I arrived in San Francisco and immediately felt as though I'd come home - the fog, the cool weather, the breathtaking views of the Bay Bridge and sailboats on the Bay, as well as the TransAmerica Pyramid Building from the apartment I'm staying on Telegraph Hill, near Coit Tower. There's just one tiny hitch: with sweeping views like this, naturally the apartment is located at the top of a very steep hill. I had forgotten just how tough these uphill climbs are on the knees! Beauty always comes at a price, doesn't it?