It’s always so soothing to walk into a fashion show and see Nigel Barker sitting in the front row, casting the healing glow of his hotness around the room as he gives people the eye. Not that he was actually trying to hit on anyone at Betsey Johnson on Tuesday; it’s just that his eyes, simply by dint of being open, emit bedroom heat. Like so many superheroes, his genetic blessing may also be his curse.
Lucky Victoria Silvstedt nabbed a chair at Nigel’s front-row table, blonde mane teased to the skies. To their left, Bow Wow held court with Reverend Run’s kids, Angela and Vanessa Simmons; across the way, Evanescence’s Amy Lee tapped her feet and sang along to “Wild Thing” and “Mr. Sandman” while occasionally whispering to tablemate Kelly Osbourne — who had changed into a mint-green strapless dress for the occasion. Speaking of genetic blessings, we have to say, Ozzy should be awfully proud that his DNA represents so well — that could’ve gone any which way.
But the award for Best Poker Face goes to Mark Indelicato of Ugly Betty. Nothing that came down the runway fazed him — and we’re talking about a show where Betsey dressed up as a lady Robin Hood, a series of brides were handcuffed, and Liam McMullan made a cameo as a model-marrying pirate who spanked models with his rapier and tossed faux-doubloons on the runway (if that sounds like a bad idea, it was; two girls almost bit it). Through it all, as we squealed with glee at the campfest, Mark maintained an interested and calm expression, which is admirable considering he’s 14 and we’re … not.
Before the show started, when we noticed Mark quietly munching on one of the giant cupcakes on offer for the front tables, we couldn’t resist kneeling down to tell him we think he’s great. There’s just something about a boy and his baked goods. Apparently he’s been bi-coastal since Ugly Betty moved production to New York — “I’m totally glamorous!” he joked — and has dropped by several shows already, with about two more on the docket. “This is totally overwhelming, but it’s been amazing,” he gushed. “I was confused when I first started [on Ugly Betty] about what all the fashion industry was, but now I recognize how huge it is. New York lives on Fashion Week!” Right as our old-lady knees were about to give up on us, we decided to throw caution to the wind and ask for spoilers. Would J.Lo guest-star as Wilhelmina Slater’s secret lesbian wife? Does Betty burn down Mode in a tragic flamethrower accident? Sadly, Mark was tight-lipped: “Don’t even ask. I’m SO not gonna tell.”
Maybe not us, but we sure hope he employed some Ugly Betty mojo to cheer up seatmate Jason Lewis, who spent the whole show looking wickedly bummed — we suspect it has something to do with the mustache he’s currently modeling, which totally de-hots him. Although if a carousing, booty-slapping, treasure-tossing pirate on the runway can’t cheer him up, he may be beyond help.
View backstage and front row photos from the Betsey Johnson show.
View a slideshow of the Betsey Johnson collection.
Watch video of the Betsey Johnson show.
