When we saw Joann Pailey, the market director of Elle, wearing tiny diamonds glued on her eyelids at the annual Diamond Deco Ball at the Frick last night, we felt compelled to ask her what she thought about vajazzling, the new trend in which salons are offering to affix tiny Swarovski crystals to their customers’ bikini lines. Pailey looked at us blankly. “Va-what?” We explained. “I think I’m gonna stick with the eyes,” she said.
Frick Young Collectors chair Lydia Fenet was also not onboard. “I mean, I don’t want to rule it out, because I don’t want to insult any of my friends who might have this,” she offered, diplomatically. “But it’s not something I need to see. Especially at the Diamond Deco Ball.”
But some of the other socialites in attendance were more open.
“I think it’s kind of cool,” said publicist Susan Shin. “It’s a little bit of fun. It’s like that secret that you know you have that nobody else does. And you have that little smirk on your face, and you’re like, “Well … ” She reflected. “But you definitely have to be waxed if you’re going to do it, otherwise things can get pretty gnarly.”
“I support whatever makes somebody feel beautiful,” said publicist Alison Aston. “I mean, I’ve heard of people doing, like carving out things, you know, as a design, tattoos, you know … and Swarovski crystal? How beautiful. Go for it.”
But would she do it herself? “I don’t know if I want to answer that,” she said.
Austin Scarlett, the lip-glossed candidate from an early season of Project Runway, approved of the impulse behind the idea, but quibbled with the material. “Generally any form of personal adornment I think is wonderful,” he said. “It’s human nature to want to beautify oneself. But I’d rather maybe some gold powder or something like that.”
“You know, for Valentine’s Day I got a little fun toy, dot dot dot,” purred jewelry designer Coralie Charriol Paul. “So, you know, whatever tickles your down there.”
“I think any help we can get in the bedroom, the better,” added Lisa “Lulu” Salzer, of jewelry line Lulu Frost.
“I think it’s great,” declared designer Leslie Blume. “I’m sorry, I think it’s really, really, funny. And I remember ten years ago there was this Gucci campaign when Tom Ford was really hot, and he had all of his models strip down and there were shaved G’s in their pubes. I thought that was just a delight. Why the hell not? Why not? You know, we have too few ways to express ourselves in today’s society. Twitter is a bore.”
