Tina Brown and Chouchou

Yesterday, Diane hosted a luncheon for Vital Voices to honor Chouchou Namegabe, a recent Global Leadership Award Honoree. The event attracted Vital Voices supporters like Tina Brown, as well as others who were interested in learning more about the organization like Leslie Jane Seymour, Wendi Murdoch, Fabiola Beracasa and Robin Roberts. Chouchou, a self-trained journalist has dedicated her life to helping women of rape and abuse find their voice by recording their stories and broadcasting them across the Democratic Republic of Congo. Chouchou spoke about the terrible attrocities that have been committed against women in her country, but encouraged people not to feel sorry for them but to rather join in the fight and support organizations like Vital Voices who are raising awareness about these issues and providing support.

For more information, visit Vitalvoices.org

Diane and Zac Posen

Last night DVF celebrated the 300th anniversary of Tatler at the studio in New York, and many a merry reveler came out to toast the mag. Zac Posen, Tory Burch, Georgina Chapman and Erin Fetherson were among the designer attendees, as was one time Tatler ed in chief Tina Brown. Martha Stewart even chatted up some DVF staffers and took a trip to the store to check out the most recent collection.

See more photos from the event…

Hail DVF!

All hail Diane… literally! In case you were in the neighborhood yesterday, we were outside the NY shop filming for an eyewear project we were working on and one part involved Diane in a DVF taxi cab! She is a driving force in fashion after all! Stay tuned for more behind the scenes photos and also the launch of our new Eyewear, which will be arriving in stores and online in November.

Anne in Moscow...

We’ve got Moscow on the brain, and fortunately Inside DVF contributor Anne McNally was there last month for the Biennale and gave us the inside on where and what we’ll be doing when we go for the DVF restrospective next month!

STAY: For modern amenities with a twist of history stay at the Park Hyatt, which overlooks the Bolshoi Theatre. Once home to the metro pole, be sure to check out the dining room dating back to the 1930s. Or try Diane’s personal fave, The Ritz-Carlton.

EAT: Baccarat, where Russian fashion designer and doyenne Dasha Zukova, gave her pre “garage” bienale opening dinner there. Designed by the world renowned Philippe Starck, this eighteenth-century building was Europe’s biggest pharmacy, by decree of Czar Peter the Great. It’s worth checking out even for a drink. 19/21 Nikolskaïa Street.

Vogue Café is the Pastis of Moscow, a great place for people watching just steps from the Bolshoi Theater and not far from Red Square. Kuznetsky most ulitsa 7/9 , tel. 495-623-1701

Stop by Arbat Street 3/9 for lunch and a mid-afternoon Bellini, the taste is as good as the price (cheap)! Another good lunch spot is Cafe Shop and Bar, a favorite spot amongst the youth of Moscow and visit the funny t-shirt store above.

“Bon” located on the waterfront is another restaurant designed by Philippe Starck, serving an interesting combination of European, Russian and Asian Cuisine.

TO DO: Lenin’s Mausoleum, better known as” Lenin’s Tomb, and located in Red Square it is the mausoleum that is the resting place of Vladimir Lenin.  After visiting Lenin’s Mausoleum take a tour of the neighboring Kremlin.

Visit the “Seven Sisters” the English name given to a group of Moscow skyscrapers built by Stalin between 1947 and 1953 to compete with American buildings.

Make sure to take a ride on the subway, which has the most beautiful stations in stain glass, marble, stucco and ceramics….a Moscow must!

SHOP: Gum, a beautiful shopping arcade right off the Red Square, with a plethora of international shops. And of course, visit the DVF shops