Kicking back at the gallery: L-R: Terry Richardson and Purple Mag Editor, Olivier Zahm

They’re known as two badass photographers. Terry Richardson made a name for himself by having comely female photo assistants blow him while another shot the action. He’s also talented at shooting fashion ads and celebrities in ways that reveal something fierce, yet vulnerable. His best pal, Olivier Zahm, the editor of Purple — who also likes to shoot sometimes nude bedroom scenes for purple DIARY — debuted his first real art show at the Half Gallery on Tuesday evening.

Oz was saying he did not know what to expect from this show; that he decided to choose more general nudes, sexual, but not too personal; that he developed the prints in a lab; he figured only friends would buy them, but “who knows, maybe collectors?”; that they’ll be selling starting at $250 each until the show goes down on January 2, 2010.

Below is a slideshow of the “cleaner” images. For the full reveal, check out the Half Gallery, 208 Forsythe Street, NYC, until January 2, 2010.

Rachel Antonoff’s little black shift with lace back….BRING IN THE MODEL!

When faced with the weather forecast and dozens of fashionistas headed to Art Basel in Miami this week, pals all around town told me, “Rachel Antonoff!” She’s being touted as a new designer “it girl.”  With 82 F/ 28 C staring me in the face, Miami calls for little cocktail dresses, but this bird’s success remains an anomaly. WHY?

Yes, she ravages thrift stores for old lace finds. She loves ballet (to her credit) but then gives inane explanations like, “I love a girl who has to wear a costume to work and ballet dancers wear costumes to work.” Yeah, hon, they also spend seven hours a day in sweaty, smelly leotards too, working the body, the instrument, which brings me to my next point.  Antonoff — who has sold her often mini ruffled skirts and dresses at Barneys for $250-$500 a pop– sometimes scores with a tapered black lace number that served as the centerpiece of her latest collection. She also created a rather nice white shift modeled by Sudanese beauty, Alek Wek (**Wek, who stands six tall, is an odd choice for waif-like dance inspired looks). Most of the time, Antonoff drapes her clothes on ordinary, slumpy girls. They look more like your nanny or worse, pub lasses. As much as I’d like to give Antonoff props for hiring her friends for her look books, I’d bet some catalogue models out there would jump for the chance to pout in her little numbers. The dresses are cute, but unlike ballet, the fantasy’s just not there. KATE MOSS NEEDED!

Omen on Saturday at closing, photo by Olivier Zahm

Every superstar needs a hideaway. And while the event calendar seems to have tripled in fashionable parties since the economy started to plummet, the loss of one treasured getaway marks a true omen. In this case it’s a double entendre with the rumored closing of Omen restaurant in Soho, all started by the photo above that appeared on the Purple Diary a day ago!

While Anna Wintour, Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon, and Sarah Jessica Parker still flock to Da Silvano as their quotidian five star diner, the true fashion crown LOVES Omen, the discreet, darkly lit second floor Japanese joint on Thompson Street. Every other month I get calls from photographer Tierney Gearon (also a former model) shouting “Meet me there in twenty. I need the buckwheat noodles NOW.” Just a table away, I often spot photographer Mary Ellen Mark, Lindsay Lohan, or Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban. Kate Moss ate there with photographer Mario Sorrenti. At least once a week, one of the French Vogue heirs, Vladimir or Julia Restoin Roitfeld takes refuge at one of the dark tables. Omen counts for their mom, French Vogue editor Carine, as her favorite New York restaurant for family birthdays and intimate meals, after Indochine where she likes to host bigger parties. To boot, the salmon sashimi glistens like fat happy meats and slide down the tongue with just enough tangy seduction to warrant an eye opening dose of sake.

So when my pal, OZ, shot the photo above and posted it on the Purple Diary as “Omen is Closing,” the restaurant got a barrage of telephone calls. It’s all lost in the FRENCH translation of the Purple Diary headline, that might have read in French, “Omen au fin du jour,” stating, basically Omen at Closing time… The owner told me his phone has buzzed off the hook all weekend about it. “No, no, no we’ll still be here into 2010, really.” So, Carine, you’ve got reason to cheer.

Carine still has her fave sushi joint! OMEN NOT CLOSING!!!