Djimon Hounsou in News

The man of the moment

Djimon Hounsou knows how to build a career. First, land a role that allows you to give an Oscar-worthy performance. Second, sign up for a Calvin Klein ad campaign (in September, Hounsou will be the first actor in a decade...

Shimmer and shine

Kimora Lee Simmons dialed back her fall Baby Phat collection with styles that can best be described as the 1940s gone street. An estimated 60 styles (a whopping number, double that of a typical runway collection) came down the black sparkly runway in the Roseland Ballroom, as models strode to hard notes of Akon, Rihanna, and Janet Jackson. Kimora started her collection with a series of mini denim cut-offs layered over shiny black leggings, and then slowly unleashed shimmering culottes, long, slender, dreamily ruffled gowns, swinging shifts and feather skirts. A mostly muted palette of black, grey, and cream was accented with the occasional canary yellow or deep purple. Standouts included a series of ‘little black dresses’ that had easy shapes with a forties swing, but always carried a blast of the bold jewelry embellishments Baby Phat is known for. A notable sight: Kimora’s two young daughters walking Mom down the runway at the show’s close stopped to hug Russell Simmons, their father, and Djimon Hounsou, Kimora’s boyfriend of almost a year.Boyfriends and ex-husbands aside, the glitter factor in the show matched that of the front row. Ex-Court TV host Star Jones (in a vintage KSL jacket), rapper Fabolous, daytime talker Tyra Banks, and singers Christina Milian and Joss Stone braved the evening rain for Baby Phat. So did a cape-wearing blogger Perez Hilton, who parked a few seats down from Vogue’s Andre Leon Talley. Talley kept his fur hat (and his game face) on for the entire show.Joss Stone (pictured at left) gave us her hair tips before the show. 'I just did this you know,” she said, shaking her dark mane of easy waves. 'The hairstylist left me for life, so I curled it up, backcombed the sh-t out of it, lots of hairspray, and then you just shake it out a little.” No muss, no fuss for this songbird, who matched her KLS brightly patterned mini with green heels from Nine West. She’s not always barefoot, she reminded. 'I wear shoes everyday,” she said, 'I just don’t wear them onstage, because I get nervous.”Baby Phat front row goody bag report: The Kimora Lee Simmons Barbie doll, Fiji water, a sample of Baby Phat perfume, a crystal Baby Phat body tattoo, a hair tie and a small notebook.--Andrea MandellPhoto by Rob Loud, Getty Images